No Sum Tum - No Meal

This is a photo of making Sum Tum in the Northeast area of Thailand in April 2011. Everyone here loves sum tum (papaya salad) and the hotter the better. It is made with unripe papaya and a lot of chili peppers. I have watched the eyes of adults tear up because it is so hot, but they eat it anyway. This sum tum was being made for the elders during their celebration, entitled Chakri.